Taqwa means fear of ALLAH or GOD consciousness. The one who has this characteristic will earn ALLAH’s blessings. ALLAH swt has given glad tidings to those who are mutaqi, at many places in Quran.
In verse 2:2 ALLAH swt said.
“This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah;”
Fear of ALLAH erases all doubts on HIS creation and message and also gives the insight to judge between right and wrong. Surely the one who fears ALLAH can recognize what has come from ALLAH and what has been innovated in HIS name. it is fear of ALLAH that keeps us away from the sins. The one who fears ALLAH will think about ALLAH first before committing any sin and shaitan will never be able to misguide such a person. Which actions bring the taqwa? Answer lies in Quran in clear words. To please ALLAH we should do all that we have been commanded to do.
There are many verses in Quran and hadiths which tell us to be mutaqi.
Al-Quran: 9:119
O ye who believe! Fear God and be with those who are true (in word and deed).
Al-Quran: 5:100
Say: "Not equal are things that are bad and things that are good, even though the abundance of the bad may dazzle thee; so fear God, O ye that understand; that (so) ye may prosper."
Al-Quran 5:35
“O ye who believe! Do your duty to God, seek the means of approach unto Him, and strive with might and main in his cause: that ye may prosper.”
To have fear of ALLAH means to fulfill the duty to ALLAH swt and strive to get ALLAH’s pleasure.
Al-Quran 49: 13
"O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honorable of you with Allâh is that (believer) who has Taqwa (God-consciousness, fearing Allâh ). Verily, Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Aware."
The command here is not to disgrace others based on nations and tribes. But what we see in today’s world is the mass scale nationalism to insult other nations and to exaggerate about the living country. This is all wrong. To be a mutaqi means to realize the relations and to be just and honest with all the people around us. there is no base of ranking tribes or nations.
A hadith of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.w enlighten the topic further. It says that we should learn about our lineages and we should treat our relatives with goodness. Our ancestors might have come from different countries. This means that we cannot rank our country or nation or people as number one.
"Learn enough about your lineages to know about your blood relatives and treat them accordingly." [(Sahîh)
Sahîh Sunan at-Tirmidhî (no. 1612)]
While talking about the racism and relating it with taqwa or goodness ALLAh messenger said on His sermon of Hujatul wida:
"Allâh has dispelled from you the effects of Jahiliyyah (ignorance) and the practice of Jahiliyyah to boast around with people upon one's lineage. (Know) Men are only of two types, either righteous, who have high ranks with Allâh , or the sinful, who are disgraced in the Sight of Allâh.”
This means, there are no americans, or Pakistanis, or Indians or Africans but there are only righteous and evil people. ALLAH will judge us with what we have earned in this world, and not with what we are today based on nationality, or riches or ranks.
The other important deeds to be mutqai are given in the verses below since the word of Quran is better than any other word.
Putting trust in ALLAH : 5:11
“O ye who believe! Call in remembrance the favour of God unto you when certain men formed the design to stretch out their hands against you, but (God) held back their hands from you: so fear God. And on God let believers put (all) their trust.”
To be just and treat people fairly 5: 8
“O ye who believe! stand out firmly for God, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear God. For God is well-acquainted with all that ye do”
To help others but in goodness not in ill will 5:2
“O ye who believe! Violate not the sanctity of the symbols of God, nor of the sacred month, nor of the animals brought for sacrifice, nor the garlands that mark out such animals, nor the people resorting to the sacred house, seeking of the bounty and good pleasure of their Lord. But when ye are clear of the sacred precincts and of pilgrim garb, ye may hunt and let not the hatred of some people in (once) shutting you out of the Sacred Mosque lead you to transgression (and hostility on your part). Help ye one another in righteousness and piety, but help ye not one another in sin and rancor: fear God: for God is strict in punishment.”
Therefore, to have taqwa means to be fearful muslims and to do all that we should do.
In verse 2:2 ALLAH swt said.
“This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah;”
Fear of ALLAH erases all doubts on HIS creation and message and also gives the insight to judge between right and wrong. Surely the one who fears ALLAH can recognize what has come from ALLAH and what has been innovated in HIS name. it is fear of ALLAH that keeps us away from the sins. The one who fears ALLAH will think about ALLAH first before committing any sin and shaitan will never be able to misguide such a person. Which actions bring the taqwa? Answer lies in Quran in clear words. To please ALLAH we should do all that we have been commanded to do.
There are many verses in Quran and hadiths which tell us to be mutaqi.
Al-Quran: 9:119
O ye who believe! Fear God and be with those who are true (in word and deed).
Al-Quran: 5:100
Say: "Not equal are things that are bad and things that are good, even though the abundance of the bad may dazzle thee; so fear God, O ye that understand; that (so) ye may prosper."
Al-Quran 5:35
“O ye who believe! Do your duty to God, seek the means of approach unto Him, and strive with might and main in his cause: that ye may prosper.”
To have fear of ALLAH means to fulfill the duty to ALLAH swt and strive to get ALLAH’s pleasure.
Al-Quran 49: 13
"O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honorable of you with Allâh is that (believer) who has Taqwa (God-consciousness, fearing Allâh ). Verily, Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Aware."
The command here is not to disgrace others based on nations and tribes. But what we see in today’s world is the mass scale nationalism to insult other nations and to exaggerate about the living country. This is all wrong. To be a mutaqi means to realize the relations and to be just and honest with all the people around us. there is no base of ranking tribes or nations.
A hadith of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.w enlighten the topic further. It says that we should learn about our lineages and we should treat our relatives with goodness. Our ancestors might have come from different countries. This means that we cannot rank our country or nation or people as number one.
"Learn enough about your lineages to know about your blood relatives and treat them accordingly." [(Sahîh)
Sahîh Sunan at-Tirmidhî (no. 1612)]
While talking about the racism and relating it with taqwa or goodness ALLAh messenger said on His sermon of Hujatul wida:
"Allâh has dispelled from you the effects of Jahiliyyah (ignorance) and the practice of Jahiliyyah to boast around with people upon one's lineage. (Know) Men are only of two types, either righteous, who have high ranks with Allâh , or the sinful, who are disgraced in the Sight of Allâh.”
This means, there are no americans, or Pakistanis, or Indians or Africans but there are only righteous and evil people. ALLAH will judge us with what we have earned in this world, and not with what we are today based on nationality, or riches or ranks.
The other important deeds to be mutqai are given in the verses below since the word of Quran is better than any other word.
Putting trust in ALLAH : 5:11
“O ye who believe! Call in remembrance the favour of God unto you when certain men formed the design to stretch out their hands against you, but (God) held back their hands from you: so fear God. And on God let believers put (all) their trust.”
To be just and treat people fairly 5: 8
“O ye who believe! stand out firmly for God, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear God. For God is well-acquainted with all that ye do”
To help others but in goodness not in ill will 5:2
“O ye who believe! Violate not the sanctity of the symbols of God, nor of the sacred month, nor of the animals brought for sacrifice, nor the garlands that mark out such animals, nor the people resorting to the sacred house, seeking of the bounty and good pleasure of their Lord. But when ye are clear of the sacred precincts and of pilgrim garb, ye may hunt and let not the hatred of some people in (once) shutting you out of the Sacred Mosque lead you to transgression (and hostility on your part). Help ye one another in righteousness and piety, but help ye not one another in sin and rancor: fear God: for God is strict in punishment.”
Therefore, to have taqwa means to be fearful muslims and to do all that we should do.